If you're looking for an example of parity in professional sports, look no further than the WNBA's Western Conference.
Entering the Seattle Storm's (7-4) contest against the San Antonio Silver Stars (7-4) tonight, three teams are tied at 7-4 with the Phoenix Mercury only narrowly leading the pack at 9-4.
In other words, there's a lot riding on tonight's nationally televised game in San Antonio and it will be the first of a string of tests on their ensuing three game road trip.
Prior to their current losing streak that has seen them fall from first to fourth in the conference, the Silver Stars were 7-1, only dropping a game without star forward Sophia Young, a candidate for the WNBA's soon-to-be-announced Top 15 WNBA Players of All Time list.
Kevin Pelton of StormBasketball.com took a look at their losing streak and described part of the problem in his Insider Preview for the game.
STORM: Insider Preview - Storm at San Antonio
The San Antonio offense, which scored at least 80 points in each of the season's first eight games, has been held below that mark the last three. Perhaps the problem is playing at home. The Silver Stars are just .500 in San Antonio (3-3), but a phenomenal 4-1 on the road.
One explanation for their change in fortunes is that they lost two to a New York Liberty team riding a four-game winning streak and the third to the Los Angeles Sparks in the first game after a coaching change. But another reason is their rebounding struggles - neither the Liberty nor the Sparks are particularly strong rebounding teams and the Silver Stars lost the rebounding battle to both. That was compounded by 16-for-68 3-point shooting over that span, which is even worse long-range accuracy than the Storm's early-season performance.
That certainly gives the Storm an opportunity, particularly if they continue their improved shooting and defensive intensity of late.
For more on the game, visit Pelton's preview at StormBasketball.com.